THE DUNEDIN AND SUBURBAN

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 17

THE DUNEDIN AND SUBURBAN

The annual meeting of the Dunedin and Suburban Dairymen's Association was held on Tuesday. 12th inst., and after part of the business had been transacted was adjourned till Tuesday, 19th inst., when there were ovor 40 members present. Mr D. T. Roy (piesic'ent) occupied the chair, and in opening- the meeting made reference to the loss tlie country had sustained by the death of iho Premier. Tho annual report and balance sheet showed the association to be in a sound financial position. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman said ho hoped the meeting would instruct the incoming committee to engage a secretary having an office in town, as the work of the association could not now be done by any private member unless he sacrificed too much of his time. He spoke of the gcod work the association had done, not only for members, but also for the > consumers throughout tho city. Many ui'iues had been stopped at the instance of the association, and the speaker had no liesitati >'i in saving that the milk- supply of Dhqerhn would compare favourably for quality with any in New Zealand, while, by some unaccountable means, the price was lower than in most Now Zealand towns. Members would be called upon to fix prices for another year, and in doing so they must ren ember that they were dealing with an article of absolute necessity in every home, anJ it should be their aim to popularise the u-e of milk, increase the consumption of ir. and. if possible, cheapen the cost of if-, production rather than raise the price auo%e the reach of the poorest. Many factors had been at work of late io increase the co^t of production. Extra work had been entailed "by the Dairy Inspection and Registration Act. the cost of everything in connection with the business had increased, and in many districts where rating on unimproved values had been enforced the rates had been raised to such an extent that they now made a substantial rent. In this connection it might be stated that more than 10,000 acres were included in the boroughs round Dunedin, and used solely for dairying purposes. All this area was rated by the boroughs far above what farm land should be rated at, and the association would ha\e to try to have these rural lands ■

placed in a bettor position as regarded ratlrg. During the past year the association had carried resolutions dealing with tho pea rifle nuisance, and forwarded tho same to Wellington. Complaints had been mado of tlie damage done by harriers crossing paddocks and breaking fences, but an understanding had been come to with the Dunedin Centre which, it was hoped, would make for more cordial relations between farmers and harriers. Another matter with which the association must deal was the practice of some shopkeepers who scld milk below the prices ruling among dairymen. Many of these dions were not suitable for keeping milk in, and cou\l not possibly be licensed under the Dairy Act, hut got their permission to sell from some corporation inspector, while the shons in the 6uburb» were not inspected at all. The association must demand that shop's in which milk was sold must be registered under the Dairy Act. Tlie election of officers for the ensuing year r-esulted as follows: — President, Mr D. T. Roy ; vityj-president. Mr J. Mathicison; treasurer, Mr, Beissel; .auditor, Mr W. B. Anderson : committee — Messrs Beis-~ sal <T^»-and P. Companv> Mowat; Lewis,/ Bain, M*Curdy, Harbour, Tweedie, Hamilton. Pryde, and Cleave. " ~ \f The revised rules of the association wflTe" confirmed on the motion of the Chairman, seconded 1 by Jjfr Beisssl. It was decided not to alter the prices"" 1 previously fixed by the association at piesent, but* to ask members to abide by them, and lot it be clearly understood they were for net imperial measure. At the close of the meeting a number of new members signed tho articles of association.